Computers have become an integral part of our business and personal lives. The presence of a computer monitor, a keyboard, or a laptop or other computer component has come to be seen as a necessary evil for the accomplishment of one's daily tasks. With the computer components inherently come wires that further clutter work surfaces. Many computer components, particularly computer monitors, have achieved reduced size. However, when not in use, they remain as obstacles to the full usage of a work surface and contribute to a utilitarian and often displeasing appearance of the work surface and the office in general. Further, continuous exposure leaves the computer components vulnerable not only to environmental conditions but also to tampering and theft, particularly as the components become smaller, lighter, and more portable.
It would be advantageous, therefore, if one could enjoy full usage of a computer, computer component, or other article when desired while being able to make the article effectively disappear from a work surface when its presence is no longer necessary. A number of talented inventors have sought to provide mechanisms for enabling a manipulation of a computer or computer component, such as a monitor, between use and storage configurations. To date, however, the proposed solutions of the prior art, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,756 to Watson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,150 to Phoenix et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,733,094 to Chang, have been bulky and inelegant, of limited effectiveness, and relatively complex in structure and operation. Furthermore, prior art mechanisms and furniture have been ill equipped to accommodate one another.
With previous application Ser. Nos. 11/152,994 and 11/152,952 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,517,029, the present inventor has disclosed arrangements for extending and retracting a monitor, computer, or other computer component or components that sought to provide improvements in structure and function over the prior art. The disclosed extension and refraction arrangements provide improved systems for efficiently extending a trolley with a support arm to enable use of a monitor or other component and retracting the trolley, support arm, and component to a storage position enabling full usage of a work surface. Also disclosed are improved door constructions for efficiently closing off an aperture through which the support arm and component are passed, including while the support arm and component are in an extended disposition. Still further, the inventor disclosed systems for manually and electrically controlling and propelling the extension and retraction arrangements.
Despite the advantageous improvements represented by these earlier disclosures, it became clear to the present inventor that there remained room for improvements over even those earlier-disclosed systems and methods. By way of example, it was found that even the most well designed extension and retraction system operating under power required a motion control system and methodology for dealing with initial installation, raising and lowering procedures, and procedures in the event of each possible malfunction, including physical obstructions, power failures, and positional anomalies. It has also been determined that it was possible to improve over even the inventor's own advantageous door constructions to provide a door arrangement that can be smoothly and efficiently adjusted between an open position for permitting passage of a support arm and retained component through an aperture and a closed position substantially entirely closing the aperture not only while the support arm and retained component are retracted but also while the support arm and retained component are extended.